The New Look to Technology

In today’s job market, it has become a must that you maintain basic technology skills.  Microsoft Word, PowerPoint  and excel are the top essentials, but we are getting to the point where if you don’t know how to use Prezi and Photoshop, you’re behind on the times.

Though Prezi is more advanced in concept and takes much more skill than a PowerPoint would, the look is far more modern and interesting.  The Prezi online tool focuses on visuals and more specifically visuals that you can tie into the theme of what you’re presenting about.  They use the phrase “Ideas Matter” and this video clip really demonstrates their values.  They want the Prezi to be the vehicle for your information, but they want the vehicle to enhance your information.  The modernity and visual elements are the two things that puts a Prezi above the rest.  A Prezi is just much more clean and relevant to our time period than a PowerPoint.

The reason I’ve chosen to connect Prezi with Photoshop is for the visual aspects of it.  With so many online photo sharing tools available to the average consumer, pictures are rarely left untouched these days.  Many people are familiar with the red eye corrector and maybe the black and white tool, but now there is so much more.  Even with the way you format a picture with your subject and the background is important.  This website gives great tips on how to improve on your photo editing skills.  Also, I find that Instagram is a great tool if you’re just getting started.  It’s an app on your phone that allows you to add different filters onto a photo.  This also rely’s slightly on the fact that the user has a good eye.

All three of the programs use visuals as the main attraction.  It takes a little bit of skill, but with the right additions, a photo can be worth 1,000 words.

Pinterest is the New Google Images

Pinterest: a new photo-sharing tool linking content to Web pages and users to their identities.  When the site first launched in 2010, it promoted exclusivity.  To join the site, you had to be invited.  Potential participants began to flock to the site, requesting invitations from their friends, and expanding the growth of the site.

Three years later, the site is a popular medium for learning and advertising, but ultimately entertainment.  The space is host to both company and brand pages as well as just everyday users.  Interaction is facilitated through “pins”, which are basically images with a short customizable description and a link to the page from which the image came from, issuing credit where due.

With such great variability in the range of topics covered on Pinterest, some brands find the medium to be a great tool for accessing their customers on multiple different platforms.

Whole Foods utilizes Pinterest to the fullest extent, keeping the advertising to a minimum and really gauging the interests of their audience.  Whole Foods maintains several accounts, ranging from the official Whole Foods Market page to Whole Foods 4 Healthy Living, Whole Foods Market Cooking, as well as various others.

While the spinoff pages are equally diverse and interesting in their content, the official Whole Foods Market page features 46 boards, almost 2,000 pins, and over 115,000 followers.  Most of their boards somehow relate back to food yet there are many others that simply relay the same values and messages their company aims to portray.  Pinterest is about building up an image through the pins you choose to represent yourself.  A business is no different.  They want their consumers to see their pins, identify and then transfer that identity to the brand.

Chobani greek yogurt also maintains a great social media presence, including an official Pinterest page.  Unlike Whole Foods, they only have one Pinterest account but maintain 26 boards, almost 5,000 pins, and over 55,000 followers.   For such a niche product, the Chobani Pinterest page offers a wide range of uses for the yogurt, ultimately exposing the customer to the extended abilities of the product.  Pinterest is really the optimal space for this venture because there’s excessive opportunity to showcase techniques, flavor combinations,  and recipes with prime images.  The audience is immediately captured by the ingeniousness of the ideas and people feel an urge to try these new recipes.

For example, the Chilly Chobani board, features various ice creams, yogurt bites, mousses and more.  The endless pins are exciting and capture the audience with their uniqueness.Overall, Chobani’s pins are creative, helpful, and capturing.  Their use of Pinterest really works to their advantage .

Lay’s Lets the Fans Decide

In July 2012, Lay’s launched a campaign called “Do Us A Flavor” that puts the control of the flavor in the hands of the customer.  Fans submitted a total of 3.8 million flavor combinations through the Lay’s Facebook page.  The incentive was $1 million in prize money or one percent of the new flavor’s 2013 net sales.   It could also be the fact that your own choice of flavors would be featured in stores next to all of lay’s other famous flavors that interested people to submit their most creative innovations.  The best part of the campaign is its high level of interactivity and how it links itself to other social media avenues.  The submission process operated itself through Facebook.  You would have to accept and install the app before designing your flavor.  The app automatically posted the creation to your Facebook page, creating some self promotion and added buzz.

The campaign is now in it’s second stage of the process. Three flavors, cheesy garlic bread, chicken and waffles, and sriracha, have been chosen as America’s finest.  The concept of engaging the consumers of voting through social media is ingenious for two reasons.  Firstly, the whole campaign is new and exciting, and lay’s fans are going to be extremely interested in trying the new product of their favorite brand.  Also, if the consumer is going to be posting on their Twitter or Facebook, they want to be promoting a flavor they can be proud to share.  Either way, these two groups of people, brand loyal consumers and social media savvy folk, are going to be purchasing three bags of chips, if not more.   Encouraging the customer to try their new product, uphold the flavor that represents them , and ultimately putting the control in the hands of the consumer creates added revenue that would not have necessarily been there otherwise.

The second reason this campaign was such a success plays off of the whole consumer control aspect and allowing social media to be a driving force of advertisement.  While they did put out a considerable number of television ads, featuring celebrity guests Michael Simon and Eva Longoria, great choices by the way, they relied heavily on their consumers to carry on the movement through social media.  Lay’s use of Facebook and Twitter engages the customer to log on or tweet their vote.

One thing I would like to point out is that the campaign has received a lot of attention from other news sources, however not all of it has been positive.  PRNewser does a great job of highlighting the concept and social media behind the campaign, however the Huffington Post “found that while each of these flavors had some serious potential, they all fell short one way or the other.” I’ve personally seen some negative feedback on the products just on a local level that i would like to share.

In conclusion, though the media campaign may have been spot on, the product doesn’t live up to the hype.  This could ultimately prove to be their downfall.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream…Need I say more?

In keeping with the theme of extraordinary social media campaigns and food, I of coarse had to shed light on the famous Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream.  Jeni’s opened its first shop in Columbus, Ohio’s North Market in just 20o2.  Since then, they have expanded to nine shops, predominantly located in central Ohio, and service over 700 grocery markets nationwide.  While the success of the company can be attributed to the astounding yet delicious flavors and local appeal, the rapid nationwide growth is due in part to Jeni’s large social media presence.

Jeni’s features local high quality ingredients in their products and therefore really want to accentuate this to their consumers.  In order to accomplish this, Jeni’s creates short video clips, often illustrating the processes and ingredients they use but in light entertaining fashion.  By disclosing their ingredients and processes, they’re giving the consumer a first hand look at how their product is made.  It shows this transparency and lets the customer know that they have nothing to hide.  Additionally, when Bauer shares her personal experiences , it shows the viewer that she as an owner is close to her brand and product, again illustrating transparency and the value of the brand. They share their videos predominantly via Vimeo and YouTube.  The videos below illustrate two different formats, yet both give off a vibe of a good quality product close to home.

Through the use of pictures and videos, Jeni’s depicts their brand with flavor and vibrancy.  On Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram and Pinterest, Jeni’s uses images to capture a moment.  Each picture tells a story, whether its about the food or the journey.  Either way, Jeni’s focuses on sharing compelling images to really capture the viewer’s attention.  Typically they’re accompanied with a little description or quote, just to give the viewer something else to spark their interest.

This past Monday, Jeni’s posted about their new vending machines in the Columbus Airport.  Firstly, the picture is intriguing all on its own, as it features the traditional Jeni’s look but on a vending machine.  An ice cream vending machine is unique, but for a quality local brand to create their own custom machine and put it in an airport is completely unheard of.  This topic all together sparks interest, as it is a unique and compelling topic.  I’m personally highly intrigued to check it out next time i’m at the airport.  Jeni’s posted it on several different social media spaces and received positive feedback on all the forums.

While generating activity in almost every online social media space, Jeni’s goes one step further and maintains a blog of their own, bringing all of the mediums together in their own space.  The blog focuses its attention more on the promotion events, store re-openings, and new flavor profiles.  They use their blog as a new kind of forum.  The posts are unique and relate back to the brand through the value of exceptional quality.

Overall, Jeni’s uses social media to advance their brand to the next level.  They really take full advantage of each medium and it helps their brand excel to the next level.

Dove and Their Social Mission

As social media grows to envelope almost every aspect of daily life, often detrimental side effects accompany this technology driven industry.  Young girls look to these avenues for advice but their vision is often clouded by the negative effects of social media.

In response to all the negative connotations to social media for girls, Dove decided to put out this campaign that exposes the truth behind the pretty faces and false realism.

Dove recognizes that magazines, advertising, television, and the internet frame , cut, color, and edit women to be “beautiful.”  However these images that young girls are looking up to aren’t real.  Their perception of beauty is altered by the media.

Dove’s campaign works to abolish these false images and build girls up to feel great about themselves in their own bodies.

Dove created a specialized Toolkit based on the specifics you want to address.  It’s customizable by age, topic, and also based on your audience and who you are trying to use the kit.  Then, based on the attributes of your situation, you can choose which activities guide best fits your needs.  The guides are filled with Q&A, personal stories, and steps to success.

One thing that I thought was especially interesting was their guide to the internet– “A Girl’s Guide to the Digital World—How to Log Off of Digital Drama.  It discusses a lot of key information gauged for teenage girls, while also keeping it down to 5 major points.

1. Online Friendships–  It is very easy create a profile online so it is important to demonstrate caution when befriending people you don’t personally know.

2. Privacy- The digital lifespan of your words, pictures, and data can be endless.

3.Rumors- Keep gossip positive because rumors, just like anything else, can spread quickly via the internet.

4. Self-Image– The things you share paint a picture of you so make sure you’re representing yourself in a positive manner.

5. Mobile Conversations- Once you send something via text message, there’s no turning back.  Make sure it’s something you would be comfortable saying face to face.

In addition to this guide, there are plenty more like it, designed for helping girls understand the media and themselves in a different light on the Dove Real Beauty Campaign webpage.

Fashion Takes Social Media By Storm

Through the evolution of the internet, we have seen a lot of fashion and merchandise retail industries explode with growth.  While many of these industries maintain customer contact through both retail and online, such as Nordstrom, Forever 21, and Victoria’s Secret, many companies have successfully grown solely online.  In order to claim a portion of the market, these online companies have to do something to separate themselves from their competitors.  Advertising through social media accesses these companies exact target markets while effectively conveying their brand.

Several companies do a great job of actively promoting and marketing through their social media accounts.  Tobi, Lulu’s, and ShoeDazzle are solely online companies that rely heavily on social media to increase their buzz and branding.

Lulu’s does an exceptional job of maintaining their brand in several different media venues.

Lulu’s Pinterest account stood out with its exceptional beauty, organization, professionalism and attractiveness.  Their boards are exquisite and designed to attract the customer in every possible way.  Additionally, they incorporate traditional boards, such as food and hair styles, in with their marketing based boards.     It’s almost like a magazine in the way they have their boards separated by what’s new from editor’s picks and trending colors, but then they also pay homage to the nature of the site by illustrating the same values and ideals as all those other Pinterest lovers out there.  This unique strategy shows that Lulu’s really knows their customers, and especially the medium of Pinterest.  Also, it puts their brand out there without being too blatantly obvious all the time.  Even with their boards about shoes or the home, they represent their name and by association, viewers make the positive connection between the brand and the image.  Lulu’s plays by the rules and ends up creating a fashionable image reflective of their brand.

Lulu’s also maintains a Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and a blog.  Because these businesses are online and targeting the younger, technology savvy generation, it only makes sense that they market through those mediums as well.  Additionally, these spaces are FREE! It costs them nothing to go in and make an account.  We live in a society where social media has exploded to the extent that companies can rely solely the internet.  Check out what this article has to say on Fashion and social media technology!

The Food Network Masters Media

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I figured it would be most appropriate to honor the valentine that has never failed to disappoint: food.  The Food Network is an empire that focuses its efforts on educating the general public of different foods from across the world.  In order to achieve this goal, The Food Network employs various forms of media to reach different target markets.

For starters, The Food Network website is well padded with media outlets and interactive features, keeping the guest involved and entertained.

1. Recipe clips and full episodes are readily available for viewing. These videos are separated by show as well as available in a whole database.
2. Top trending blog.  Their blog remixes traditional classics, shares new innovative techniques, or just something unique in the food industry.  The articles are actually pretty interesting and appeal to your most experienced chef to just the average home cook.
3. MapQuest feature for restaurants.  This unique page allows the viewer to type in their location, just as you would on a normal MapQuest, and recommended restaurants in your area appear.  You can also search based on your favorite chef’s restaurants.

The Food Network website also features a link that provides access to all their social media.

1. Twitter.  The Food Network really does a great job managing their Twitter account.  In many of their tweets, they feature a compelling headline like a tip or a recipe and then a corresponding link to an article.  They also promote conversation by tweeting out questions with a hash tag that people can respond to.  The Food Network really does a great job keeping their tweets concise and compelling.
2. Facebook.  The Food Network chooses to arm their Facebook page with an advertisement for the premiere of their new season of Worst Cooks In America.  This is a smart decision as avid followers will see this as a reminder of what’s new on The Food Network.  Their actual posts are similar to their tweets but formatted differently, as they should be.  They post links to recipes and articles but the main highlight is the corresponding picture.  They clearly know how to play to their strengths because posting these indulging pictures really brings the reader in.
3. Pinterest.  Promoting Pinterest on their actual Food Network webpage lets people know that they’re out there in that media space.  Again they have the recipes and the tips, but they format to each space in a suitable manner, showing that they really know how to access their target market.

The key to the food network is using their key points and strengths to their advantage.  They change up the formatting so it fits best with each space.  The Food Network really knows what they’re doing when it comes to social media marketing.

M&M’s Stick to a Super Bowl Routine

As we all know, the Super Bowl features prime space for companies to present their best ad campaigns of the year.  Many people, including myself, only watch the Super Bowl to see what our great nation has deemed the best of the best ads for the year.

Because the Super Bowl happens every year, I thought it would be interesting to track a brand that has continuously put forth Super Bowl worthy ads and see what similarities the brand maintains year after year.

M&M’s have been a vibrant and growing brand for years.  These M&M ads are captured from the 2009, 2012, and 2013 Super Bowl campaigns.

These three ads clearly hold a lot of common attributes.  Firstly, they all integrate some sort of humor.  The M&M characters all have a certain personality that shines through in each of the scenarios.  In the 2009 ad, we see the red M&M running down the checkout.  Additionally, at the end, the viewer sees the yellow M&M point out how they’re invited to the party, but instead they’re on the menu.  The 2012 ad features a naked dancing M&M, which is pretty funny all on its own.  The 2013 ad puts the humor in with the serenading and as well with the irony of how he’d do anything for love, except let her eat him.  M&M’s clearly use humor as a way to entice their viewer and give them something light and funny to connect with their brand name.

All three ads are also more targeted at adults, which may be kind of surprising for some of us. According to CNNMoney, M&M’s were never marketed to kids in the first place.  You would think that because they’re these small bite size chocolates in bright colors that they would be all over that demographic, but I think that because they already have that kind of kid-friendly appeal, there’s no need to market them that way.  Instead, they go for a more young adult audience.  The advertisers’ appeal M&M’s almost as the youth that’s still inside of us.  In all three ads, a party is implied in some way.  The 2009 ad features someone purchasing the necessary supplies to throw a party. The 2012 ad is literally taking place at an upscale bar or lounge of some type, implying etiquette and class with the use of their product.  Lastly, the 2013 ad is less obvious, but the signals include the actress taking a bath, getting ready, baking a cake, and hanging out with her friends while watching a movie.  In this instance, the implied image is more relaxed because it’s just her hanging out with her friends, yet it still targets the young adult demographic because of the age of the actress.

Advance Your Professional Profile Online

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our society has moved to online shopping, online classes, and plenty of forums for online chatting.  It only makes sense that the job market would move to be based online as well.  With its recent return from the crash, it only makes sense that people would take full advantage of the resources available.

Colleges are providing resources to their students that help them create an online profile dressed to impress.  Aside from workshops that help students filter the content on their Facebook, Ohio State University maintains multiple websites where employers can upload internship and job opportunities.  These websites hold information for the specific students they apply to.  For example, my major is Strategic Communications under the College of Arts and Science.  Therefore, I log on to Futurelink, the career services page for that college, and search for internships that fall under my specific major and interests.   Students can access opportunities unavailable to general public.  This kind of technology did not exist 20 years ago and is exactly the resource that puts these younger generations above the rest.

Another new technology that has really advanced the professional industry is LinkedIn.  The website is similar to Facebook in the way you connect to other people, but rather this site encourages professional relationships instead of personal ones.  By uploading your skills and professional experiences, you can build a profile that sets you apart from the crowd.

Some people decide to take social media and further their online professional profile by creating a blog about themselves.   A professional blog typically takes on the same information as a résumé, but slightly more in depth and in a creative format.  Often people attach a page with samples of their writing, a feature that is impossible to include on a résumé.   Typically, the people who create these blogs are applying for more creative or communications based positions.  Therefore, having this skill really demonstrates your skill sets, versus just talking about them on a plain piece of paper.

Looking for more information on how LinkedIn claimed it’s success? Check out this article!

Chipotle succeeds through non-traditional marketing

As we creep into an age where technology drives marketing to the next level, we see companies begin to heavily implement strategies that encourage personal interaction with the customers.  By directly engaging their customers, companies can ensure a personal service that is both high-quality and reliable.  Through the use of Twitter, Facebook, and other online spaces, companies are able to put a face to their company name.

One company that has really changed the direction of their marketing strategies is Chipotle.  While Chipotle’s products change and develop with their customers, so does their marketing plan.  Chipotle’s target market is mostly young teenagers and college age students but they also hit a good portion of the young professional market.   For this reason, targeting their customers through social media is ideal because their market is extremely acquainted to technology.

Here are three of chipotle’s online features that really put them above the competition.

1.  Address customers directly through Twitter-  Whether customers are raving about the products or complaining about the service, or even just trying to create conversation, @ChipotleTweets will respond to you at your direct handle with an individualized response.  Looking through past tweets, most of the comments are insignificant, but the point is that Chipotle is taking the time to address you personally.  That’s some quality customer service right there.
2. Secret menu items online- Through a fiery curiosity and a few simple Google searches, I discovered a couple websites exposing Chipotle’s secret menu items.  From nachos to quesadillas, chipotle offers a wide range of secret menu items.  In fact, Chipotle maintains a policy that if they have the ingredients, they will make you whatever you want.  This offers the customer an exceptionally customizable product.
3. Updated Facebook page- Chipotle recognizes the value of social media, but more importantly, they recognize the different values of Facebook and Twitter.  While the two may overlap in some areas, each source is used for presenting information in a way that is optimal to the medium.   While the twitter provides more of an instant feedback, the Facebook page provides more news related information, as well as promotions and advertising.  The Facebook page is essentially the face of the company.

Check this out for another look on Chipotle’s successful social media marketing!